It's Our Turn Archives - Page 2 of 2

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Alyson Charles, Speed Skating

Posted on 15 February 202411 March 2024 by Jacob Morris

It’s Our Turn, AthletesCAN’s new marketing campaign focuses on the stories of athlete leaders across the 68 sports eligible for AthletesCAN membership. The campaign highlights a pivotal moment for a new era in sport governance, underlining the athlete representatives’ respective journeys into the athlete advocacy movement both in their careers and within their National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

Each week, AthletesCAN profiles a key athlete leader among its membership, highlighting how athlete representation has played a significant role in their career and within their National Sport Organization.

Alyson Charles

Sport: Speed Skating
Position / Event: Short Track (500m, 1000m, 3000m)
National team tenure: 2018-22
Hometown: Montreal, Que.

How did you first hear about and get involved within your sport?

I always knew that this position was filled since I was named to the national team. But I never got to understand what that person was doing. A couple weeks ago, the previous Athlete Director, Mathieu Bernier, was planning to leave the position, and he reached out to me because I recently retired from the sport. He just explained to me what his role was and what his mandate was. I found it interesting just to have a position where you can have a voice for athletes on the Board. Mathieu said ‘Just think about it and if you’re ever interested, get back to me.’ I took some time to think about it, and then I agreed to the role, because I felt like in the past year especially, there has really been a desire for change. Or at least, I felt like the management and also people who have leadership positions in my organization are driven but also driven towards change for good reasons. There’s a new Strategic Plan that was published and a new CEO coming in as well. So, all of that gave me the will to get involved because I think it is a great era that we’re entering into, where people are open to hear different perspectives. And I do believe that I can bring a unique perspective as well.

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

I think it’s not only important, it’s essential to each National Sport Organization, because without the athletes there is no organization. And we want to see them perform, that’s for sure, year over year. And to make that happen, we have to make sure that their interests and needs are served. Sometimes, on the board there are people who occupy these positions and have been in our shoes a couple of years back and might not have that up-to-date perspective. And some of them were not athletes. It’s important to have someone who is not involved but is still kind of close to the sport itself. When everyone’s on the same page, there is communication across all levels and everyone’s open to hearing each other. I think that’s how we can best serve the interest of every stakeholder and especially the athletes.

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

I’ve learned that being a leader, it’s not about necessarily being a leader where you’re appointed to the position, because I think everyone can be a leader in their own ways. If I had to describe myself, I was a quiet leader – just by my attitude towards the sport and everything that we had to do, but also towards others. That’s what made me want to get involved.

Coming into the role, I’m not pretending that I know everything. I’m not in this mindset of I’m coming here to change everything because that’s not the role itself, but just to be someone who is in a position to bring forward concerns and also not afraid to raise their opinion, raise their voice. When there is a policy that is being discussed or a decision that is being discussed on the Board that would have an impact on athletes – I’m here to bring that perspective and why this would be a good or a bad thing for them and how it’s perceived by them.

I’m planning to have continuous communication with the athletes. I want them to feel comfortable coming to me. And because I’m not competing anymore, on a day-to-day basis, their input is going to be very valuable. Being in those Board meetings will allow me to understand how decisions are made on a higher level where you have to consider the well-being of every stakeholder, but also the organization as a whole. And if we can inspire ourselves inside towards every one of us being leaders, I think we will manage to inspire the outside and our communities.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

I encourage people to get involved in AthletesCAN in any way they can – because everyone has something to win by getting involved.

The more we can hear each other and bring to the table what’s problematic, and what’s going well, and just being aware of what’s going on within AthletesCAN or National Sport Organizations and other sports organizations, we will just have a better understanding of the goal of this entity that sometimes you are unable when you’re not in it or you just hear about it. It will help us to understand the importance of this organization and how we can just help each other moving forward. I would encourage everyone to actually learn about AthletesCAN and then get involved in any way you can, because we all have something to win

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Nina Tajbakhsh, Ringette

Posted on 15 February 202411 March 2024 by Jacob Morris

It’s Our Turn, AthletesCAN’s new marketing campaign focuses on the stories of athlete leaders across the 68 sports eligible for AthletesCAN membership. The campaign highlights a pivotal moment for a new era in sport governance, underlining the athlete representatives’ respective journeys into the athlete advocacy movement both in their careers and within their National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

Each week, AthletesCAN profiles one key leader among its membership, highlighting how athlete representation has played a significant role in their career and within their National Sport Organization.

Nina Tajbakhsh

Sport: Ringette
Position: Forward
National team tenure: 2022-present
Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C.

How did you first hear about and get involved within your sport?

I’ve been in the National Ringette League (NRL) for about 10 years now, and right as I entered there were a lot of positions where different committees and different sort of ad-hoc committees were looking for athlete representation and I’ve always kind of had an interest in it. I’ve always wanted to help advocate for the athlete’s voice and make sure it’s heard and at the centre of what we’re doing in sport, especially in ringette, where it’s kind of a smaller sport. So I just kind of started getting involved on committees here and there. I served as the NRL rep for the West for a number of years and then just kind of kept getting involved in different committees that would pop up for different initiatives that Ringette Canada was taking. And then the Board position came up as the Athlete Director and a previous national team captain had sent it to me just kind of saying, ‘Hey, maybe look into this.’ I’ve kind of looked up to her for a while. So I was like, ‘Well, she’s saying I should do it, so maybe I should!’

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

I think there are lot of people involved in sport, especially at these higher levels, but keeping it athlete-centered is sort of the reason we’re all here. We don’t have sport without athletes. I think especially now, it’s really important to have that athlete focus as sort of the forefront and making sure that athletes are feeling like they can train, they can develop, they can compete, but it’s also a safe space for them to be in to do those things and to continue developing the sport, and to continue to bring new athletes in. I think the athlete-centered approach is what’s going to keep sport moving forward. I think it’s important that the athletes feel that they’re important in that sense and feel that the athlete-centered approach is actually being met – just to kind of encourage them to return and encourage new athletes to come up into those positions.

How have you used your athlete voice on behalf of your peers and how has it impacted your sport journey?

I think it’s been a really cool experience. I’ve tried a lot to sort of branch out to different groups of athletes. There are always the ones that, like myself, who really like to get involved in these things and really want to see those changes push forward. But there are also groups of athletes who maybe aren’t as comfortable bringing their voice forward, and I think that’s where the athlete reps and representation comes in, to make sure their voices are heard as well, even if they’re not as forthcoming with it. So I think for me, I’ve just really had to sort of find out what the areas are that the athletes in our sport want to see improved or things that can be changed or aren’t meeting our expectations at certain times and then bringing that forward to the people who can help make the change. That’s just sort of added that next level of why I love sport so much and why I love being involved in the logistics of ringette outside as the Athlete Rep. Again, being a smaller sport, there are a lot of barriers that we face and we feel that a lot as athletes, especially at the High Performance level. So being able to kind of be a sort of resource for change in those things and trying to help move things forward has been really important.

What is your favourite memory being an Athlete Rep / being involved in athlete advocacy?

Prior to 2018, the National Ringette League used to use the draft for new players coming into the league or players who were in the league to kind of determine where they would play. And there was myself and one other athlete who were sort of on that committee as the Athlete Reps for this, and we pushed really hard to get the draft removed. We’re ringette, we don’t get paid to play, we pay to play. And so it was really important for us to allow that choice for athletes to play where they wanted to play and where they felt they would be happiest, perform best, and wanted to be. So I think definitely one of the highlights is removing the draft for ringette was huge for the athletes.

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

A lot of it is kind of that communication piece and being able to take in all different kinds of input. So what one athlete needs might not be what another one needs, but being able to collectively take everything that you’re being told and being able to sort of articulate that in a way that it’s going to meet the needs of multiple people with different intentions and different outlooks of what they want to see coming. So I think that listening piece, being able to take it all in and just using that to make change instead of what we’ve seen a lot in sport where all this information comes in but what happens with it is sort of where we lose track. So I think being able to actually collect the information and push that towards change has been a big thing that I’ve learned.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

I think everybody should. This is the place where if you want to see change, you need to get involved to be a part of it and kind of encourage other people to do the same. It’s kind of rare to find places like this where the athlete voice and the athlete input is important and it’s the whole purpose and you kind of have that support to make those decisions. You can learn so much about how to sort of take those things and take them into your sport at all levels and try to help make those changes and continue to develop. So I think it’s a no brainer. Everybody should.

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Greg Stewart, Para Athletics / Sitting Volleyball

Posted on 15 February 202411 March 2024 by Jacob Morris

Each week, AthletesCAN profiles key leaders among its membership, highlighting how athlete representation has played a significant role in their career and within their National Sport Organization.

Greg Stewart

Sport: Para Athletics/Sitting Volleyball
Position / Event: Shot Put
National team tenure: 2001-2013, 2019-2021, 2024-Present
Hometown: Kamloops, B.C.

How did you first hear about and get involved within your sport?

I got involved in athlete activism and athlete participation, just throughout my journey in sport. I did find that, more of it came to me the older I got, and the more interesting it became, because now I was starting to realize the importance of athlete communication and being an athlete representative, and having a voice. When I was younger, I was just kind of going with the flow. And then for a very long time, I was like, “I’m never going to get involved with politics in sport.” But now I’ve really come to realize that politics plays a very important role in sport. It’s just about how is it represented and how is it taken care of? I’ve been in sport forever and this is my opportunity to kind of, start to step into it and represent my fellow athletics athletes as well as all of our national team athletes.

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

Athletes play a very vital role in all of our national sporting organizations because without them, you don’t have sport. It’s very important that we recognize our athletes and support them and allow them to have the best experiences they can, when they’re on the field or on the court. And if we’re not putting them first, then we’re coming from more of a place of greed or a place of “better than” or “less than.” I think if we’re able to really put them forward, we will have a much better experience overall in our sports.

How have you used your athlete voice on behalf of your peers and how has it impacted your sport journey?

Because I was a little late to the game. I think I’m still learning what it takes to really speak up for fellow athletes. I’m not going to say I’m the best at it, but I’m definitely willing to learn and try to be a better representative. And so right now it’s just continuing to learn, hear the voices that are being spoken and learn to share those stories and experiences so that we can better our sport.

What is your favourite memory being an Athlete Rep / being involved in athlete advocacy?

I don’t even know the answer to it yet. My favourite memory so far is I’m still building them. I can’t really pinpoint the exact favourite one, but one of them that I’m very grateful for is being a representative on AthletesCAN, because we have an opportunity to speak on behalf of the entire national team. And I think that right there is a highlight, all of it.

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

One of the things I’ve learned about being a leader in my sport is that I’m not doing it to be a leader in my sport. I’m just doing it so that we can bring a lot more love and joy into our sports, and for our athletes. I think if we can come from a place of love, support, we can just create really dynamic and equal teams and experiences. And without that, we don’t have a whole lot. So being a leader is something that I’m still growing into. I wouldn’t call myself one. I would just say I’m just an athlete. Trying to support other athletes.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

AthletesCAN is the opportunity to actually see what sport looks like as a whole. One thing I’ve always found is that we get very siloed when we’re in our sports and are only experiencing what’s going on within our sport, whereas AthletesCAN gives us the opportunity to really learn and see the big picture, see what’s not going well, what’s troublesome, what’s going really well. AthletesCAN is that opportunity for us to learn and build and be the best athletes that we can be because the best overall athlete is the one who understands everything. And that’s a huge reason why I wanted to take part in AthletesCAN, so I could understand the whole sport community.

AthletesCAN launches “It’s Our Turn” athlete-centred marketing campaign

Posted on 15 February 202414 March 2024 by Jacob Morris

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is proud to announce the launch of It’s Our Turn, a new athlete-centred marketing campaign, highlighting the importance of the athlete representation movement across the Canadian sport system.

The new campaign focuses on the stories of athlete leaders across the 68 sports eligible for AthletesCAN membership. In particular, the campaign highlights a pivotal moment for a new era in sport governance, underlining the athlete representatives’ respective journeys into the athlete advocacy movement both in their careers and within their National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

"Athlete representation isn't just a matter of fairness; it's a catalyst for positive change. It ensures that the sport system evolves with the times, fostering a culture of inclusivity, fairness, and innovation, paving the way for policies that prioritize the well-being of athletes, and the sustained growth of the sports we love."

Erin Willson - AthletesCAN President and artistic swimming Olympian

The campaign is headlined by a promotional video launching today, with customized assets also built for each of the 68 NSOs. In addition, a new Athlete Rep Spotlight profile series is set to kick off, with teaser clips posted weekly to AthletesCAN’s digital channels alongside the full interviews on AthletesCAN.ca.

Each conversation features a national team athlete, who has either served as an informal or formalized NSO Athlete Representative, an official Athlete Director on their NSO’s Board or as a member of an NSO or Multisport Organization Athlete Council / Committee. Production of the interview series is being supported by the AthletesCAN Creative Champions and the AthletesCAN Awareness Committee which is responsible for overseeing the organization’s membership, marketing, communications and partnership initiatives.

“‘It's Our Turn’ speaks to the athletes, urging them to step into roles that extend beyond the field of play. Their experiences, insights, and voices are not only valuable but essential. The decisions made at the highest levels should be informed by the authentic narratives of those who compete."

Susanne Wereley - Awareness Committee Chair, Olympic rowing champion and AthletesCAN Board Member

The campaign builds on a pair of recently-announced initiatives, including the ongoing National Team Athlete Town Halls in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN) and Minister Qualtrough’s launch of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission to address the history of systemic abuse in Canadian sport and its underlying causes.

Canadian national team athletes are invited to register for the Town Halls to give feedback on their athlete experiences, with events remaining in Winnipeg (Feb. 27), Montreal (Mar. 12) and Calgary (Mar. 26). Full details are available here.

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships.

AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.

For more information, please contact:

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications and Sport Partnerships
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected]

Category: It’s Our Turn

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Alyson Charles, Speed Skating

Alyson Charles

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Nina Tajbakhsh, Ringette

Nina Tajbakhsh

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Greg Stewart, Para Athletics / Sitting Volleyball

Greg Stewart

AthletesCAN launches “It’s Our Turn” athlete-centred marketing campaign

About AthletesCAN

CONTACT US